This is a tour in the splendor of royal palaces and castles, royal intrigues and love stories: as good a pretext as any to visit a country with a story in mind.

DAY 1: Bucharest , capital of Romania

Welcome in the "Little Paris", as it was called in Queen Marie's time. Our guides will meet you at the airports, railway stations, and transfer you to a 4-star hotel.

Welcoming cocktail, Q & A. Diner in an aristocratic restaurant. Overnight in Bucharest .

DAY 2: the royal mountain resort

Tour the city of Bucharest and listen to it's medieval, modern and contemporary stories. Visit the Treasury, the royal jewels, the gold-and-gem history of Romania .

After lunch, depart to the royal mountain resort of Sinaia. Your hotel is opposite the three royal palaces.

Visit the Royal Sheepfold (Stana Regala) and climb the rock hanging over the entire Prahova Valley. Here is the place the queen, on horseback, meet her lifelong friend and adviser, Prince Barbu Stirbei (weather permitting: return to Sinaia on foot, trough the woods).

Diner in hotel "Palace" - the hotel of the Orient Express passengers.

Overnight in Sinaia.Optionals: casino, night-club, disco.

DAY 3: the most beautiful royal palace in Europe

Visit Peles, the most beautiful royal palace in Europe, playground of adolescent Marie. Ludwig's alone may compare. Then visit Pelisor, the decoration of witch was designed by Queen Marie in Art Nouveau style. The custodians report a faint smell of violets whenever a ghost of the queen returns to the nest of so many loving memories.

Cross the mountains into Transylvania and visit Castle Bran - her summer residencesince 1920 and site of poetic reveries. The queen restored the castle into romantic, fairy-tale habitat. Mircea, her 4 years old son was buried in the chapel. Across the river, in a shrine set in the wall of a mountain, lies Queen Marie's heart. Remember to bring a flower.

Overnight in Brasov or Poiana Brasov.

DAYS 4-5: the royal hunting lodge of Lapusna

Depart for Sighisoara - the best-preserved 15 century walled-town in Europe; sightseeing and lunch.

Continue to Lapusna (900 meters altitude), the hunting lodge built in 1926 by Queen Marie and King Ferdinand. You may have the chance to get the queen's or the king's bedrooms. Meals and overnight at Lapusna.

Optionals: camera safari (bears - in February and march; stags - in September and October); walking tours; trout fishing, ethnographic insights: massage, herb-baths.

DAY 6: would you be tempted by a nobility title?

Return to Brasov, the second city of Transylvania and visit the ancient and medieval parts.

Now, since you are on an aristocratic tour anyway, would you be interested to acquire a nobility title for yourself? The title is based on personal merit: knight of The Order of Transylvanian Knights. Should you be able to pass the 6 chivalry test then investiture ceremonies will be activated: oath, sword-on-shoulder, knight hooding diploma and medallion. The Castellan and his court of knights, ladies-in-waiting, pages, jester - will advise you trough the tests.

Dinner, with mediaeval floor-show.

Overnight in Brasov or Poiana Brasov.

DAY 7: the royal tombs of Curtea de Arges

Cross the Carpathians and reach the first capital of Valahia - Curtea de Arges. There are two royal churches there: one - sheltering the tombs of kings till 1520; the other, a legend church, has the royal tombs from 1520 to the present day, Queen Marie's included.

Visit fortress Poienari - guarding the entrance into the George of Arges. Return to Curtea de Arges for dinner and a folk show.

Overnight in Curtea de Arges (hotel "Posada")

DAY 8: early departure to the airport

Departure from Romania , with a nobler soul.


Excerpt:
The Company of Mysterious Journeys will penalize the tourists who renounce their bookings as follows (subtracting bank-transfer charges):
1) for cancellation of 30 and more days before the tour start: full refunding (minus banking charges)
2) for 29-21 days cancellation: 30% penalty
3) for 20-14 days cancellation: 50% penalty
4) for 13-7 days or less cancellation: 100% penalty in favour of the CMJ.

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